Andrea Oliveira, from Freehold, New Jersey, is accused of taking an elderly dog from vet Dr George Menez and keeping it alive for five months.
Dr Menez, who hasn’t been charged with a criminal offence, is alleged to have told owner Keri Levy that he euthanised her miniature pinscher Caesar at Briarwood Veterinary Hospital in May.
It was reported that the vets believed the dog could be nursed back to health.
Ms Levy said her 15-year-old dog was suffering from Cushing’s disease, a condition which affects elderly dogs.
She claims Dr Menez telephoned her to say Caesar was ‘at peace’, hours after she said goodbye to her pet.
However, she received an anonymous message earlier this month from someone who said her dog was still alive and being looked after by an employee at the vet practice.
Police said Oliveira did not believe the dog needed to be put down and thought she could nurse it back to health.
Caesar has since been put down under the supervision of a different vet.
The health of the animal before its death is now a matter of dispute.
Police said the dog was given back to its owner in good spirits and showed no signs of ill-health, but Ms Levy said his condition had deteriorated.
Police said Dr Menez allowed Oliveira to take the dog home with her but didn’t inform the owner.
‘This employee wanted to do so out of compassion for the dog and a desire to rehabilitate his health, albeit without the owner’s consent,’ Howell Police Detective Sergeant Christian Antunez told the Mail Online.
After receiving the anonymous message that Caesar was still alive, Ms Levy contacted the practice but both Dr Menez and Oliveira had stopped working there.
Ms Levy claims she then contacted Dr Menez and he gave her the name of the former colleague who had taken her dog.
His owner said the dog’s health had deteriorated dramatically in the five months and she took him to be put down at a different hospital.
You can read the initial story here: Family Dog Was Supposed to Cremated: Found Alive At Veterinary Worker’s Home
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